


After

by GrayArcadian



Category: Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers
Genre: Developing Friendships, Gen, Missing Scene, Non-Sexual Slavery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-16 22:06:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29707242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GrayArcadian/pseuds/GrayArcadian
Summary: Missing scene that takes place shortly after Episode 2.  Zach gets to ask Shane an important question after reading his file.
Kudos: 5
Collections: Fandoms Challenge 2021





	After

The challenge was never the same and always the same. The holographic aliens - always aliens - appeared, shot at him, and wouldn’t stop until he put an equally holographic blaster bolt straight through them. The pixels wavered and dissolved and a new shooter would manifest so he could gun them down again. Level after level. 

Shane was good at it. He was literally born to do it - shoot things. He even liked it. But he wondered if he’d still enjoy the binary simplicity of combat if they changed out all these aliens for the Supertroopers he was supposed to bring back dead or alive.   
  
There were footsteps behind him and he had to quickly shove down the reflex to point the gun in their direction. It wasn’t Commander Walsh. No, the walk was heavier, favoring one side slightly. He holstered the gun and paused the training simulation. “Captain.”

\--------------------

Zachery Foxx hadn't had much time to talk to any of his new team about anything but mission briefings and intelligence on the upcoming Tortuna run was already coming in. His mind was on Eliza and the kids all the time, which made him knuckle down to his new command - his best chance at bringing her home - all the harder. Almost all of the work had been centered around fieldwork and reports. It wasn't a way to run a team. Niko and Doctor Harford had some years on them and the wisdom and book knowledge to go with it. His instincts nagged him about Shane, though, and not in the way BETA had told him about. It was high time to get unbothered.   
  
“Seems like you’re here, sleeping, or in the hanger.”   
  
Shane shrugged. “Occasionally, I fit in a haircut and a swim.” A pause stretched between the two men. “You here for something, sir?”   
  
“You’ll have to excuse me. You’d think after all the diplomatic runs, I’d be better at small talk.”

Shane’s look almost reminded him of one of Zack’s junior’s less than cooperative moods. “What makes you think I’m any better at it, Captain?” He shrugged it off and pulled out a datapad.

“We’ve been so busy I’m taking a second to ask about some things in all of your files -”

“And you’re starting with me.”

Zach was startled at the accurate guess. “That’s right. How’d you figure?”

“Mine’s gotta be complicated, and you should always go for the hard part first when possible.”

_ Got me there. _ “Says here that you’re a probationary member pending the arrest of two dozen escapees of Wolfden Base.”

Shane’s green eyes narrowed. “If you’re worried about childhood nostalgia, sir, I’ll tell you in advance most of the good ones are on ice. I put them there already. Most of the rest were bad before. With the power gain the gas gave us, they’re more like rabid animals. ”

As a father and Ranger, Zach knew when he was getting the proverbial two truths and a lie during questioning. It wasn’t the bass he was fishing for anyway. “No, not asking about that. I was more wondering what plans you have once that goal is completed.”

That clearly startled Shane. “If.”

“No, Goosman, no ‘if's.’ This is the Galaxy Rangers, and we’ll make that happen. So, what happens then?”

Another chasm of silence stretched between them before Shane answered, “‘After’ may never be my option, sir. Not just for that.”

“Then we make it an option, Shane. Law enforcement being used to perpetuate slavery is something humans left in the past. Any team under my command isn’t going to be part of its revival.”

**Author's Note:**

> The challenge for this week was "Write for a fandom you read, but never write for." I love this show. I feel I could write for it, but there were significant walls in my way on this one I don't want to get into here. Maybe I'll cover them on my blog. Otherwise, "no guts, no glory," is how things are going to roll on this one. Comments are going to be screened. Feedback is appreciated. Drama will be nuked with extreme prejudice.
> 
> Many thanks to Koch Entertainment, the small Canadian company not affiliated with the American Koch Brothers, thank the gods, for getting all of us fans the DVDs and keeping stewardship of the show. No infringement on your rights is intended. I'm just trying to keep the market alive for your stuff.


End file.
